


Ghosts and Demons

by sapphirerose1990



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Awkward Crush, F/M, Murder Mystery, Plot Twists, Teen Titans - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-29
Updated: 2014-08-24
Packaged: 2018-02-06 15:43:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1863342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphirerose1990/pseuds/sapphirerose1990
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Boredom, that’s what Raven expected when she heard of her mission. Trespassing and noise disturbance in an abandoned house was hardly worth her time but weird things keep happening. Maybe there’s some truth in that old urban legend. Maybe the house on Sparrow Lane is haunted. After all, why else would there be a murder staged in the old manor? BBRAE</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone, here's my newest Teen Titans story. I've been working on this thing for over a year now and it's finally finished! I plan on posting a chapter once a week, usually on a Friday or a Saturday. So no worries about a long hiatus. I hope you enjoy it.

The house on Sparrow Lane stood empty. It had been for many years and nobody knew why. It was in an ordinary place, found at the bottom of an ordinary hill, in a decent sized neighborhood. There were a few overgrown trees, some with broken branches hanging down haphazardly. The yellow grass was unkempt and underneath the large window, three azalea bushes looked to be in a desperate need for a trim. It was a wild place, with ware and decay hanging over it like a cloud.

It was also the kind of place that had drawn the attention of a young woman, one in a long blue robe. Her face was shielded, except for her violet eyes that shown in the afternoon sunlight. She surveyed the house with a critical eye, listening for sounds that might be considered suspicious.

There was nothing. Crickets chirped and cars passed by on the local freeway but aside from that, there was no sound that was even remotely dangerous. Whatever had been there was long gone.

She was about to turn back when her communicator started going off. It rang insistently for several seconds until the young woman sighed and flipped it open. A man, one whose face was masked, was frowning. "So what's the situation Raven? Did you find any recent break-ins yet?"

"No Robin." The woman sighed impatiently. "I just got here. Beast Boy and Cyborg are standing by. We'll go inside once we have a plan figured out. You mentioned there was a disruption? Well it looks quiet here to me. I hope you are not wasting our time with trivial crime. Noisy teenagers are hardly worth the effort of coming here alone, much less the three of us together."

Robin shook his head adamantly. "No! No, of course not but it is still good to be safe. Things could get bad. There were some shouts heard by neighbors, I think one woman claimed she saw a man display super strength. He seemed paranoid, dangerous even! This could be a big case if it is our division. We are doing a really good thing, perimeter checking to make absolutely sure."

Raven gave her leader a skeptical expression. "So while we're looking through this dilapidated, dump of a house…you are going to do what exactly? It's not like you to be absent from a case."

"Well…I…um…have to do a lot of paperwork." Robin stuttered. "Lots and lots of paperwork! You know, from the damage we did to the city last week? It will take me hours and hours! I-"

He was cut off when a curious red head popped into the camera. "Robin? Who are you talking to? Is that Raven? Why are you telling Raven that you are doing paperwork? I thought you were taking me on a date? I am confused. Is the date over already? Is this how they usually go?"

Raven watched the scene change from Robin, to Starfire and back to Robin. He looked embarrassed and she could clearly hear him frantically whispering in the background. "I will explain that stuff later Star! Just give me a minute, okay?" There were some doors closing and a loud thump before Robin was back in the camera. "Sorry about that. So what were you saying?"

Raven looked at him for a moment. "You know what? Never mind. I will talk to you later."

Scowling angrily, she snapped her communicator shut. She wanted to yell, she wanted to hurt something she was so angry. This was the second time this week it happened! It was another boring investigation, another stupid excuse, all so Robin could have some alone time with Starfire. Rage bit the surface and for a moment, Raven was seeing red but then…she stopped.

Taking deep, calming breaths, Raven temporary pushed down her anger. It would not do to lose her temper over something so trivial. If Robin wanted to play games, fine. She will do the mature thing and do her job. Sighing deeply, she looked around to find her friends. They were not far.

In fact, they were currently daring the other to touch the door frame of the ancient looking house.

Trying to maintain a more nonchalant appearance, Raven walked slowly over to where the boys were messing about. They were both standing on the edge of the doorway but no matter how hard Cyborg pushed Beast Boy forward, the changeling refused to go inside. He had dug his heels into the floor and was pin wheeling his arms back just to keep from falling in. It did not matter if the door was wide open; Beast Boy still looked fearfully into the house's dark interior.

"Stop it Cyborg! I refuse to go in!" He yelped. "This place is bad news! It looks too tomb-y!"

"Tomb-y?" Cyborg questioned, biting back a laugh. "What does that even mean? Look Beast Boy we still have to go inside. Raven expected us to begin this investigation while she chatted with Robin to get an update. Now you don't want her to think you are a big chicken, do you?"

"Of course I am a chicken. I turn into a chicken. That's beside the point." Beast Boy muttered.

"Look!" Cyborg sighed impatiently. "If we don't go in, Raven will get suspicious and angry. Then she will kick both our butts if we don't go in! I can't always be the one who comes up with the excuses and I'm sure the last thing you want her to know is that little secret you told me."

Insulted, Beast Boy momentarily let go of the door frame. He scowled angrily at Cyborg but it did not matter. That was the only thing his friend needed because with an extra push, they both fell into a heap on the floor of the old house.

It was dusty and dirty. Grime covered the floor but Beast Boy did not care about that. He did not care that his much bigger friend was currently squishing his leg. All he cared about was Raven, who was now standing in the doorway silently. Raven's eyes became darker as she studied him, her mouth slowly twisted into a tiny frown. The silence of her disapproval was almost deafening.

Beast Boy froze and when Cyborg eventually saw Raven, he froze too. There was an awkward moment, a pause while Raven surveyed them with disgust and embarrassment. Her fingers twitched at her side, black magic barely glistening at her fingertips. It seemed she was doing all in her power to hold her rage in check. Finally she spoke.

"Are you two really Titans?" She demanded coldly. "Because you are certainly not acting like a pair of superheroes. I mean…really? If you can't handle being unsupervised for five minutes, how I can I expect you to look around an abandoned house? Am I seriously the only one who cares about our crime fighting work for Jump City?!"

The last word came out sharper then she intended, making her friends wince.

Sighing, Raven closed her eyes and took deep calming breaths. Her emotions, particularly rage, battled for dominance but her will over them was stronger. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the two boys watching her nervously. Cyborg elbowed Beast Boy in the ribs, causing him to yelp and glare at his friend. Finally, he turned towards Raven, his pointed ears drooping a little.

"I'm sorry we goofed off." He apologized. "It's just…there's kind of an urban legend about this house. There have been some nasty rumors floating around. Somebody died here, a woman and her ghost still haunts this land. That's why nobody wanted to buy this house from Old Man Thompson. There have been too many weird things going on; some people just disappeared."

Beast Boy gave his saddest smile, while Cyborg rolled his eye. "Yeah but that's just a rumor. Stuff like that has no proof but the Green Bean believes it. That's why he refused to go inside."

Raven's anger turned into disbelief and pity. "A ghost? Really? That's what this is all about?"

Beast Boy nodded solemnly.

"Now listen to me." Raven said patiently, almost too patiently. Her words were practically dripping with contempt. "There's no such thing as ghosts. Demons, auras and maybe the occasional mutant and monster but there's no logical, reasonable proof that ghosts exist. If they did, we would probably have fought one by now. So get it out of your head. Ghosts aren't real."

"And those were her famous last words." Beast Boy muttered to Cyborg under his breath.

Now bored by their conversation, Raven did not even bother giving him a good comeback. Instead, her eyes were sweeping around the house that they now found themselves in. The foyer was small but it had a long hallway leading to the living room. A spiraling stairway led up to the top floor and the ground was littered with bits of broken wood and furniture. Ghost or not, this place had an eerie aura that fascinated her.

She held up a hand glowing with dark magic, but nothing came.

The further she walked inside, the more the wind seemed to echo through the broken windows and make the very walls creak. It seemed safe enough. She glanced back at the guys expectantly, a smirk playing on her lips. "Well? Are you two coming or do you want me to hold your hand?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter up and on a holiday too. To my US readers, Happy Independence Day! To the other readers, Happy Friday! Thanks for any reviews/kudos/bookmarks and/or just simply clicking the button to check my story out. It means a lot.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

Since the moment Beast Boy had moved to Jump City, the old house on Sparrow Lane had both fascinated and terrified him. The legends around it were nothing short of rumors but no one could deny the level of creep factor when they walked past it on their way to the supermarket. It was the quickest way to get to get to Veggies R' Us but it did not mean he liked going that way.

No, he avoided the house at all costs. It wasn't because the house was old looking either…a lot of house were old, ordinary and boring. This house was completely different. It had eyes! Dark, expressionless eyes, the kind that stared at you, watching as you walked the adjoining sidewalk. Most people would call them windows but Beast Boy knew better. It was just like that movie.

Monster Mansion or Monster House…or something like that. Either way it was really creepy.

Now he was actually past the door frame of the house! Cyborg had pushed him inside but for some reason, he could not move. Beast Boy was seconds from having a panic attack. It was dark in the house, with little to no lights except for three flashlights and the cracks in the boarded up windows. Dark and damp, like a cave. It was also freezing, despite the summer heat outside.

Excuses flitted across his brain. He had to get out of here! He had to save face! If he didn't, Raven would think he really was a coward. Gulping, he looked at Raven who was waiting impatiently for him to follow her inside. "Is there a problem?" She asked; her voice monotone.

"No… but shouldn't we still wait here for Robin and Starfire? They will probably be here soon."

Raven stared at him, her eye twitching a little. Just seeing her face, Beast Boy instantly regretted his words. He closed his eyes and expected to be yelled at. Raven was seconds away from rage, seconds away from throwing him out the window…but she didn't. She just looked frustrated.

"Don't bother." Raven sighed heavily. "Robin's not going to come and neither is Starfire. They never actually planned on coming. Robin wanted to take Starfire on a date, so our lovesick leader chose the perfect crime. It is enough to keep us busy but not bad enough to destroy the world."

"You mean that we were set up? Again?!" Beast Boy cried out indignantly.

"No, we have a job to do. That job is to stop a bunch of teenagers who broke into this house. There was a fight here, so we need to investigate and then file a report." Raven reminded him.

"Lousy Robin." Beast Boy muttered. "I knew he seemed too happy about this scary assignment."

Cyborg sighed dramatically. "Look, I hate all this too but complaining about it will not change the situation. We know that Robin's been prone to do this. So, what do you say we just get this over with? Faster we're in and out of this haunted mansion the sooner we can be back at home."

He made a face as he plucked a spider from his shoulder. "I don't know 'bout y'all but I definitely don't want to spend my day covered in dust and icky spider webs. That's just gross."

Cyborg gave Beast Boy a long, suffering look. With a nod to Raven, the two turned on their flashlights and began to point the light in random directions. Beast Boy hesitated but with a yelp, he ran inside, keeping his eyes peeled for anything remotely dangerous. "Dudes! Wait for me!"

"Hey! Wait up!" Beast Boy panted.

Raven gave a small smirk when he followed behind. He tagged along behind her like a scared puppy but it did not lesson the fact that he was putting on his bravest face. He kept on eying the room expecting a monster to pop out from the antique furniture. He was too busy playing look out that he didn't even notice when Raven stopped in front of him. She studied the large wall.

Beast Boy studied it too. It did not seem like anything special but there was an old family portrait hanging up there. It was covered with mysterious red stains and broken glass littered the ground but it was definitely an original painting in this house. There was a middle aged couple and a dark haired boy about three. They looked pretty happy but their faces were blurred from time.

Stepping over the broken glass, Raven examined the picture. One of the faces looked familiar…

"Hey take a look at this!" Cyborg exclaimed suddenly.

This time the flashlight illuminated a multitude of footsteps. There were tons of them! There were big ones, medium and tiny little ones, all going in their separate directions. The picture lay forgotten. Whatever had made these footprints must have made them after the house had been abandoned but besides that, no one could tell. They could be seconds old or decades. There was no proof. Scanning them quickly, Cyborg frowned at the results. He tapped his wrist impatiently.

"Do you know what made these?" Raven asked quietly. "That one doesn't look human sized."

"I'm guessing the teenagers." Cyborg mused. "Since, you know, there was a disturbance call."

Raven frowned and studied the prints. She walked slowly around the room, her eyes not missing anything. She kicked away a broken bottle and then glanced over at Beast Boy. "Maybe you should go turn into a dog and try sniffing them out. You could find out where they are hiding."

Beast Boy grimaced but did as he was told. With a yip, he was soon a dark green bloodhound sniffing around the floor. Occasionally sneezing from the dust, he went on ahead while the two others followed him. After a few minutes, he morphed back into a human and rubbed his nose.

"This place is making my nose hurt." He whined. "How much longer do we have to do this?"

Raven didn't answer. She instead, sniffed disdainfully when she spied a bunch of cockroaches on the ground and carefully walked around the broken remains of a table. Like everything else in this house, it was broken. Her flashlight skimmed over the remains of more broken beer bottles and realized that they still looked reasonably fresh. "I suppose our intruder was here recently."

"But why would he break a table?" Cyborg mused "What's the point? There's nothing to gain here. Nothing to steal and no purpose other than scare a nearby old lady. I just don't get it. You said there was an intruder here but there's no motivation. No reason. Something doesn't add up."

"Maybe it was the ghost…" Beast Boy said. "Ghosts like to break things and it is cold in here."

Cyborg snorted. "Right…and I guess the ghost also likes to drink Budweiser beer too. Come on BB. If you're going to give us suggestions then contribute something that we could use. I seriously doubt it was a drunken ghost that scared the neighbors."

Beast Boy shrugged but he did not look convinced.

Raven surveyed the rooms, noting the different floors. Finally, she walked over to where the boys were. "We'll check out all the floors before we go home." She instructed patiently "So I suggest that we split up so this can go faster. Cyborg, you can cover the main level, Beast Boy can check out the bedrooms and I'll check out the basement. If one of you sees anything suspicious, use your communicators and we'll meet up next to the T-Car. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me." Cyborg shrugged "It probably won't take long. This house is not that big."

Beast Boy nodded, his eyes were wide as saucers but he said nothing. He studied the winding staircase and before heading upstairs, he shot Raven a particularly charming smile. "You're probably the safest out of all of us. In horror movies, it is usually the good looking guys that disappear first. So I'll probably be the first one of us to go missing. Don't miss me too much!"

"Such touching sentiments..." She muttered sarcastically. Rolling her eyes at his dramatic goodbye, Raven turned away and headed down to the basement. Her eyes glanced back at Cyborg who stood alone to investigate the main floor.

He gave her a thumb's up and she nodded her head, opening the door that led down below. More bad smells were coming up from the basement but she still walked down the stairs bravely. In seconds, Raven had disappeared. Now the only signs that betrayed their remaining presence were their three bright flashlights. But as they went their separate ways, those too disappeared altogether, leaving nothing but silence and darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next chapter! I hope you all are having a lovely day today. As always, a big thanks for any reviews/kudos/bookmarks and/or just simply clicking the button to check my story out. It means a lot.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

Now that she was alone, Raven felt her confidence begin to slip away. She stood in the middle of the staircase, wavering on the edge and wondered for the second time that day why she was doing this. There was no reward, no means to an end. All she was doing was biding time for her best friend and her new found boyfriend. Starfire was not the one feeling the chill from below.

Nor would Starfire be able to feel the rush of air that made her body shiver and her mouth frown. This plan was stupid; going into the basement of an abandoned house was stupid. She just could not think of a good excuse to get out of it. But she really did not want to admit her apprehension.

To say she did not want to go would mean that Beast Boy was right.

For even if there were no ghosts here, it did not mean this house was not haunted. There were sometimes echoes, auras of homes that lingered long after the residents moved on. It was in the furniture, it was in the pictures that stared down at her with the empty eyes of people long since dead. Memories were hard to kill; Raven knew that better than anyone. She could sense it here.

However, logic and reason had other ideas. There were no such things as ghosts and this house was just a dump heap scheduled for removal. There were no hauntings and thinking such things would only give motivation for Beast Boy to mock her for being scared of a dark, empty room.

Beast Boy would never let her live it down. He would pester her about it until the end of time.

That thought alone gave her shivers. So minding the steps and the darkness, Raven began her trek down below without a second thought. On reflex she trailed her hand to the wall for balance and it was not until she finally got to the bottom, that her foot gave way and she ungracefully tripped, ending up on the floor. Falling on her face did not help her bad mood and she scowled.

"Stupid house!" She spat, blowing a loose hair strand from her face. "I am so done with this!"

Raven got up and unceremoniously dusted herself off; trying to maintain what little dignity remained. On reflex she checked for intruders, half expecting a bunch of teenagers to be partying in the abandoned room but there was nothing. No sign of anyone and in her current mood, that was worse. She was more than ready for a fight or at the very least, a really good shouting match.

Harrumphing to herself, Raven started to investigate the room. She looked for break-ins. There weren't any. She looked for sudden movements in the corner of her eye. There was nothing. Now feeling a bit let down, Raven again flashed her light around and snorted. This was supposed to be a haunted house? It was empty and boring! There was nothing but dust and loads of boxes.

The contents of the boxes were ordinary too. They just contained little boy stuff. There were baby clothes, photo albums and a picture of a young boy with black hair, smiling up at the camera. In that same box, there was a bat and glove with the name "Adam" written on the side.

"I wonder when this was taken." Raven mused. "It's hard to tell but it can't be that long ago."

Shaking her head, Raven returned the picture to the box and closed its flaps. Getting up from her kneeling position, she dusted herself off and looked around. She was done. She was tired, she was dirty and she really, really wanted to get out of this place. But there was something weird.

It took her a second glance but when she looked closer, it still looked weird. It was metallic, about five feet tall and cylinder shaped. Partially hidden under the blanket, Raven could honestly say that it looked like a can of soda that was smashed halfway into the ground. Neither rhyme nor reason, but it was here all the same. It even had a door in the front, a heavily locked door.

Raven grabbed her communicator. "Cyborg? Beast Boy? You might want to come down here."

The communicator made a few static noises and there was a muffled question but most of it was unclear. "Boys? Are you there? Come downstairs to the basement. I think I found something."

Again, there was nothing but muffled sounds. Huffing in frustration, Raven put down her communicator and tried to focus her energy on the locked door. "Azarath, metrione, zinthos!"

It clicked open and Raven, glancing quickly behind her, stepped inside. This mission was beyond looking for teenagers now. What were those kids up to? Did they build this? Was it some sort of clubhouse? A secret lair? How could a house with no electricity be hiding a secret metal room that had actual lights lined up against the wall? It was impossible and the stench was unbearable.

Turning her flashlight off and wincing at the bad smell, Raven looked around. The boys were probably not far behind so she was not afraid. If anything, Raven was feeling more curious then she had in a long time. The room was going deeper and deeper. There were more boxes inside but there were also shelves of canned food and vegetables. Books and bunk beds lined the walls.

Then there was the blood. Raven noticed it the moment her boot stepped into something unpleasantly wet. Thinking it was water; she had cursed under her breath but stopped when she noticed how red it was. It was splattered all over her robe from the puddles on the floor. The smell was horrible, her breath caught in her throat. In the center of the floor a woman lay dead.

As a half demon, death was something Raven was accustomed to. She had often imagined death and destruction whenever she felt anger or fury; it was part of the reason why she meditated so much. When she fought evil, she was often faced with the urge to kill. To stop the thieves, the molesters and murders for good, that was what her instincts wanted but this...this was different.

The girl's blue eyes were forever staring up towards the ceiling. There were bruises everywhere and her head looked almost deformed it had so many concussions. There was no secret in how this woman had died, it was obviously head trauma. But, that wasn't the real answer. Who did it?

From behind her, a hand grasped her shoulders. Raven reacted on instinct; she summoned her powers and threw the person down before they could react. Her eyes met her attacker's with coldness, her hands were held up for self-defense but when she saw the person, Raven quickly stopped. She relaxed momentarily, her coldness now a glare. "Cyborg! Don't sneak up on me."

Cyborg winced and rubbed his arm. "Yeah…okay. I'm sorry. Dang girl, when I thought you were in trouble I didn't realize you would body slam me into the floor. What'd I ever do to you?"

"My apologies" Raven said quickly. "Considering the circumstances, I thought you were this poor woman's murderer. It would not be an unlikely situation. Besides, when I summoned you and Beast Boy here, I was unsure if the message went through. I had presumed I was still alone."

She held out her hand and helped Cyborg up. The guy smiled gratefully and the two walked around. Cyborg studied the girl, taking digital pictures and began looking around the cylinder room. Being as tall as he was, Cyborg was bent down while he walked, his head barely missing the ceiling. When he left the room, Raven followed quietly behind. "So what do we do now?"

Cyborg looked at her in surprise. "We call the police of course. This is a murder case, not some old lady's stolen purse. We'll let the professionals take care of it. Besides, we need to find Beast Boy so we can tell Robin what's up. The dude sent us here. Obviously he was on to something."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "I was thinking this was more of a coincidence. Robin just wanted to go on a date with Starfire…remember? I seriously doubt he had any clue to what's going on."

"Don't be so sure Raven." Cyborg shrugged. "There's always more to the story. I mean sure he probably did want us out of the way but this? This is pretty big. I think Robin was maybe on to something. The guy has some great instincts, you know. I wouldn't put it past him."

Raven snorted. "Yeah, he has instincts all right."

Standing outside the cylinder room, it did not take long for Beast Boy to join them. He had tripped much like Raven on the last stair but he took it in better stride. Half running/half tripping over his own two feet, Beast Boy came over, panting when he got to them.

"Dudes! What's going on?" He asked. "You look like you saw the ghost and I…"

Beast Boy stopped and stared at the blood on Raven's boot. It was splattered along the hem of her robe and along her leg. His eyes widened and he got real pale. "Is that…is that really blood?"

Raven looked down at her clothes and shrugged. "Yeah, it is. Why?"

"Oh…no reason." Beast Boy sputtered. He put his hand to his head and wavered for a second before collapsing dramatically to the floor, leaving Raven and Cyborg staring at him with surprise. "Did Beast Boy actually faint?" Cyborg asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes, I believe he just did." Raven deadpanned.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one of my more favorite chapters to write. I hope you enjoy it. As always, a big thanks for any reviews/kudos/bookmarks and/or just simply clicking the button to check my story out. It means a lot.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

For a few brief moments, Beast Boy felt as if he were floating.

It was the weirdest, most bizarre feeling in the world. It was like flying but he was not doing anything at all. He could not even remember transforming into an animal; much less a flying one but that did not stop the sensation of wind whipping around his body. He was cold but not freezing, he was tired but not exhausted. The only thing that really bothered him was the sirens.

They had been quiet at first, muted from their distance but as time went on, they grew louder.

Now his whole head was ringing with the sound. Loud, painful wailing that made his skin crawl and his ears ache. Wincing visibly, Beast Boy instinctively floundered about in hopes of escaping his strange predicament. He was helpless; in pain and the more he became aware of his worsening situation, the harder he struggled. One thought went through his head. Was he dead?

Ghosts floated around, right? Besides, his memory may have been fuzzy buy he distinctly remembered blood. Bright red splatters that covered clothes, the floor and a pair of shoes. Maybe that was his blood! Was his last memory of his own death? No! He was much too young to die!

As he panicked, part of him became aware of a voice calling his name. "Beast Boy…Beast Boy"

The voice was soft and sweet, if not persistent. It seemed to block out the sirens and Beast Boy began to relax when he realized that there were now gentle hands caressing his face and running fingers through his hair. These fingers were growing warmer and he smiled at the feeling. He was no longer afraid because if he was dead then this must be heaven. Angels cared for him now.

"Beast Boy! C'mon wake up!" The voice tried again. It was growing louder and more impatient.

"Yes, sweet angel. I'm waking up now." He mumbled sleepily.

Beast Boy's eyes fluttered open and he smiled at the woman who held him in her arms. It took him a few seconds but he realized with a start that it was not an angel, but Raven. She was holding him close in her arms, one hand just hovering over his head with her fingers glowing softly in the approaching twilight. She met his eyes and they stared at each other for a moment.

Raven's cheeks turned a soft pink when she noticed for the first time how tight she gripped him. She let go immediately.

"Ow!" Beast Boy yelped. He fell to the ground, landing on all fours instinctively. Shaking his head for a brief moment, Beast Boy looked around and noticed that Raven had disappeared.

"Ugh…what happened?" He muttered to himself "How did I get out here? Was I dreaming?"

Stumbling around with a dazed expression on his face, Beast Boy realized that he was now outside and how dark it had become. Wasn't it early afternoon ten minutes ago? Plus what's with all the police cars and the ambulance lined up along the road? The confusion made his head hurt.

Narrowly being trampled by a pair of paramedics who were running towards the old house, Beast Boy carefully stepped out of their way. Things were pandemonium! Yellow crime scene tape fluttered in the wind and he grabbed at it, stepping towards the front yard to look for his friends.

Before he could even get to the front door, a stern policeman stood in front of him. "Can't you read? No one is allowed past this point!" The man barked. "It's for police and paramedics only!"

Beast Boy furrowed his brows in confusion. "But dude I'm supposed to be here! I'm Beast Boy! You know, from the Teen Titans? I was here with my team and we were investigating a possible break in. Cyborg can vouch for me." He waved his hands in the air. "Hey Cyborg, over here!"

"Sorry kid, I don't have time for this." The policeman said gruffly. "Now move along please."

Suddenly Cyborg can over from behind. He had a police sergeant with him and the metal man just looked tired. "It's okay Tom. He's with me. Come on Grass-Stein. We better get moving."

Beast Boy ran forward but not before sticking his tongue out at the man who stopped him. Cyborg rolled his eye, smiling while walked quickly forward, giving his friend time to catch up.

"It's good to see you awake, BB." He exclaimed. "You were out for at least an hour! I couldn't decide whether or not we should take you to the hospital but Raven insisted she could heal you herself. I guess her powers did the trick. You're lookin' good as new."

Beast Boy grinned. "I feel good as new! Is that what the ambulance is for? I didn't know you two cared so much. From the looks of things, you must have called in half the city's police force!"

"It's not for you." Cyborg explained. "It's for the dead girl that Raven found in the basement of this old place. She was hours dead and probably the result from that fight that was called in before we came. What's weird is that no one can find signs of forced entry into that weirdo room. It's like someone walked through the walls. It's kind of spooky, what with little evidence."

"You think it's the ghost?" Beast Boy whispered, his eyes widening.

"Nah, that's just an old legend." Cyborg laughed. "It wasn't done like the stories described and besides, why would the ghost kill a girl randomly when there hadn't been a death here in twenty years? Where's the motivation? Why was the girl here in the first place? It's sounds kinda fishy."

Beast Boy's brow furrowed in confusion as the two friends slowly made their way to the other side of the house. Cyborg waved to the Police Sargent and with one last look, the two walked to the T-Car where Raven was already waiting inside. She looked bored and when her eyes met Beast Boy's, Cyborg could swear he saw a tinge of pink on her cheeks. Chuckling to himself, he buckled himself in and started the car. The engine soon roared to life, air conditioning blasting.

"Man, it's been a long day." Cyborg groaned. "I don't know about y'all but I could use a good recharge and maybe some coffee. I swear things are never this complicated when Robin is here."

"We sure have a lot to tell them. I just wish I didn't pass out halfway through." Beast Boy said sheepishly. "It's kind of confusing though. The last thing I remember was blood. Raven, I think there was blood on your boots and robe. Did you get hurt or something? Did the ghost hurt you?"

Raven turned her head back, facing the green changeling in the backseat. "Beast Boy I told you, there's no such thing as ghosts. When I found the dead girl, there were puddles of blood around her body. I must have stepped in blood when you found me. So don't worry, I am perfectly fine."

"Good." Beast Boy grinned. "I don't remember much but at least I know that you're alright."

He leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes and humming to himself as the car left the old abandoned house. The humming soon broke into singing and before she knew it, Cyborg and Beast Boy were bellowing out the Ghost Busters theme song. It was loud, off key and annoying but Raven just leaned against the car's side window, smiling softly to herself in a bemused way.

Despite the long drive there, the trip back was surprisingly quick.

It was much too soon, because as soon as she stepped into the Tower, Robin was bursting with questions. Apparently news of the murder had been leaked out and their leader was very curious. Raven barely had time to breathe before he started interrogating her. "What happened? Did you see the killer? Were there other people on the crime scene? Did you notice anything strange?"

Raven gave Robin an irritated glance, before stomping towards the living room. If he noticed her exhaustion or the blood on the robes, he did not react. Only Starfire had the decency to look a little guilty. She floated around Raven with a worried expression on her face.

"Please, is there anything I can do to help?" Starfire asked gently. "Maybe prepare a meal?"

The red haired alien gave her a hopeful smile but Raven waved her off. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, trying not to glance at Beast Boy who had collapsed on the couch. "No Starfire, no food. I'm just tired. It's been a long day and I could really use some rest. Maybe tomorrow…"

"But Raven…I just feel so awful about what happened…I just…"

Raven didn't hear her finish the sentence. Teleporting to her room, Raven collapsed on her bed and curled up in her blankets. Her mind was full of things she had seen, things she had felt. Never before had she been so mentally exhausted. She did not even care if there was still blood on her robes; her bed was too soft and comfortable to move. Within minutes Raven fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter up and the plot continues to thicken! I hope you all have a nice day and as always, thanks for any reviews/kudos/bookmarks and/or just simply clicking the button to check my story out. It means a lot.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

Something was wrong.

What had once been the basement of the old house, had now become a dark dungeon. It was like a cave, small and enclosed, smelling entirely of blood. She could feel the sticky liquid between her fingers, feel it wet on her clothes. It was everywhere. She could not escape it. Raven started running, but the faster she went the more hopeless it felt. A man's laughter echoed on the walls.

Then a scream rang out. Beast Boy's voice was hoarse; she could hear him pleading to the insane, laughing man. Then with a heavy thud, Beast Boy fell to the ground unconscious. His head was bruised, his eyes were blackened and his face was deformed from his many beatings.

Raven wanted to go to him. She pulled against the chains that held her. Her lunges to escape made a thudding noise against her prison. Feeling her eyes turning demonic from anger, Raven yelled into the darkness. "Beast Boy! Beast Boy, I'm coming! Hang in there, please don't die!"

Pulling and tugging to get free of her constraints, Raven was barely aware of a man watching her with lust filled eyes. He was grinning maniacally. "Yes, keep fighting! I like them feisty!"

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Beast Boy…I'm coming…" Raven murmured sleepily. Her head lolled on her pillow, her eyes blinking as she slowly awakened. It was morning. The sun was streaming through her tiny window and the fear that had escaped her while she was unconscious had left its mark all over her room. Her statues, books and artifacts were all over the place. Her thick black curtains were now in shreds. It looked as if a tornado had blown through her room, Raven just stared solemnly.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Raven?" Starfire's voice was muffled through the closed door. "Are you okay in there? I heard you scream. You are not hurt are you? Please, may I come in? I really wish to talk with you."

Knowing full well that Starfire would patiently wait outside her room all day, Raven gave a long tired sigh. She dragged her body from her bed, the dream still weighing in the back of her mind. She could still see him. She could still see Beast Boy beaten to death, as he was in her dream. Never before had she felt colder. It seemed so real. She could still smell his blood on the walls.

"Raven?"

"I'm coming Starfire!" Raven replied hoarsely. "Just give me a minute, okay? I just woke up."

Stepping over the mess all over her room, she found the door and opened it. Sure enough, a perky looking Starfire stood waiting in the hallway, her hands balancing a plate of lumpy brown muffins. The rest of the Tower was quiet. Being that it was still 8 am, it was not very surprising.

"I brought you some breakfast." Starfire said nervously. "I figured we could talk and eat. Think of it as a peace offering. I just…I wish to apologize. I never realized Robin was not telling the truth, about us being on a date that is. If I had known you were going into such danger, I…"

Raven put up a hand to silence her. "It's not your fault."

Starfire started pacing up and down the hallway. "But I should have known he would do something like this again!" She fretted. "It's just…he was so sweet and I assumed that Robin would at the very least, explain the situation and not send you three off to investigate a murder!"

Sighing heavily, Raven already knew it would be a long day. She grabbed the muffins and ushered Starfire towards the kitchen. Fixing herself a pot of chamomile tea, Raven watched as Starfire went on ranting. Obviously this had been on her mind all night. Finally the redhead stopped and sat down at the table, looking sadly at her friend. "Are you sure that you're alright?"

Raven gave Starfire a gentle smile. "Yes, of course I'm okay. I was just a bit shaken up this morning. It was a bad dream, not some big crisis. I mean I appreciate the concern…and the muffins but I have no reason to blame you for some bad luck. It was nothing I couldn't handle."

Raven hesitatingly bit into one of Starfire's muffins and looked at her friend in surprise. "These are…hmm…actually a lot better than your usual batches of baked goods. You really improved."

Starfire beamed proudly. "Thank you! I've been practicing!"

Nodding her head, Raven wiped the crumbs from her mouth. She looked thoughtfully out the window, towards the bay and the buildings that made up Jump City. The sun was barely up in the sky but there was the tint of the morning's sunrise, the pinks and yellows still painted on the sky.

"You know, I've been thinking a lot about what Cyborg said." Raven began. "He mentioned that Old Man Thompson had been trying to sell that old house on Sparrow Lane for years. That people had been disappearing and that a woman died there. I think I want to meet this man."

"Do you think he will know the truth?" Starfire asked.

"I don't know but it's worth a shot. I just have a feeling there is a connection to this murder and that infamous ghost story of Beast Boy and Cyborg's." Raven explained. "Maybe Old Man Thompson knew something that the locals didn't. Ghosts don't always have to be dead people."

Starfire furrowed her brows, confused. When Raven didn't elaborate, Starfire sighed and grabbed a muffin to eat too. Raven was sipping her tea and the two sat there in silence. The kitchen was warm from the oven and the sound of a nearby clock ticking, made it seem calmer somehow. She glanced at her friend before finally, Raven said quietly. "In my dream, I saw Beast Boy dead. He was bleeding and beaten up, just like that girl. There was horrible laughter."

She could barely form the words, but saying them out loud made Raven feel a little bit better.

"That's horrible!" Starfire said, her eyes widening. "Do you know who was laughing? Or why?"

Raven shook her head, her eyes looking tired still. "I don't know who it was but I have my suspicions. It was evil laughter Starfire, pure evil. I can't get over the feeling of losing him like that. Every time we go in to investigate cases like that, part of me wonders if one of us will wind up being a casualty. Superheroes don't exactly have a long life span. What if he gets hurt and I can't heal him? What if I come too late and he's already…dead. I think that would destroy me."

Starfire nodded sympathetically. "But he's alright. You mentioned that he only fainted briefly but it was nothing more than a bit of a scare. I guess he was more stressed out then he let on. I wouldn't be surprised if he fainted because he was afraid you were hurt. He cares a lot for you."

Giving her a doubtful expression, Raven got up and cleaned up her place at the table. She put her teacup and plate in the sink and rinsed them off. "He was probably just being a coward." Raven muttered bitterly. "He's more afraid of ghosts then worried about me. I am just his scary friend."

Her friend was about to protest but Raven interrupted her. "He said so himself, dressing himself in my robes and mentioning how creepy I am. Even if he apologized, I haven't forgotten that."

With a scowl, Raven put the last of her plates away and stormed back to her room. Starfire watched her go and shook her head sadly. Raven really didn't get it. Even after all these years, she still didn't realize that there was always something below the surface but no amount of convincing could change her mind. She truly believed that Beast Boy could never feel the same.

"Star? What are you doing up so early?"

Starfire turned her head and glanced at Robin. The boy wonder had already changed into his uniform and was looking as if he were about to start his morning training. He cocked his head in curiosity, noting the unusually sad expression on her face. "Are you alright? You look upset."

Smiling reassuringly, Starfire glanced shyly at her boyfriend. "I'm alright Robin. I was just thinking about the conversation I had with Raven. She went to meditate and I suppose I have a lot to think about too. It's been a very busy day."

Robin nodded. "I guess…but you do realize it's only 9 am, right? What was so busy about it?"

Smiling, Starfire started walking back towards her room. "Oh, you know…girl stuff. I'm sure you wouldn't be interested in what the females of this team have to say. You never have before."

Sauntering off, Robin watched her go with a stunned expression on his face. "Why do I have this strong, depressing feeling that she's angry at me?" He muttered to himself. "It's kind of weird."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this story is really coming along! It's so exciting watching the plot thicken and get to the important events. The only drawback is, there's only a few more chapters left. Still, it's not done yet and as always, thanks for any reviews/kudos/bookmarks and/or just simply clicking the button to check my story out. It means a lot.

When Raven invited Old Man Thompson to come visit the Tower, she honestly did not know what to expect. From his given nickname, she had assumed him to be an elderly, frail man. She pictured a grandpa like figure, maybe one with a white beard, a wide smile and gaping teeth.

Instead, Raven was faced with this… behemoth. This six and a half feet tall man, who made even Cyborg look tiny in comparison. It was a bit daunting, this muscle bound man in his late fifties.

However, not wanting to be discouraged by this sudden revelation, Raven stood calmly in the Titans Tower Common Room, waiting as Robin and Cyborg escorted the big man inside. Now most people upon seeing the Tower for the very first time would react to being either impressed or intimidated. Mr. Thompson was neither of these things. He just looked tired and a bit bored.

Starfire hovered nearby, looking uneasy. She glanced at her but Raven managed to keep her face neutral. Soon, there was an awkward feeling hovering in the room, everyone was uncomfortable.

"So…what did I do to deserve this formality?" Mr. Thompson began, his deep voice breaking the silence, his black eyes darting to each of the Titans in turn. "You kids need my help or something? I'm not exactly the superhero kind. If you're having trouble doing the job I asked…"

"No, of course not, we are working very hard." Robin assured him, smiling while he walked across the room. "I just wanted to ask a few more… follow up questions. It seems there were some new revelations in this old house on Sparrow Lane, something that's more than teenagers breaking in and staying past their welcome. How long has this been going on Mr. Thompson?"

"Ten years…maybe fifteen." The big man guessed. "Why does it matter? I want them out now."

Raven raised her eyebrow skeptically. "That seems like a pretty long time to put off selling your house. Is there any particular reason why you wanted to wait this long? Any secret reasons?"

"Of course I have a reason! I live a busy life!" Thompson said defensively. "I am the CEO for Bob's Used Cars, the shop in downtown Jump City. Do you know how much work goes into managing a big company? I am tired of managing a property I want nothing more to do with."

"You own a used car shop? That's so cool!" Cyborg commented excitedly, his attention suddenly sparked. "I bet you get some great deals on car parts. Maybe you could help a fellow out? A "we help you; you help us" kind of thing? 'Cause I was hoping to fix up my baby and…"

Cyborg was quickly silenced with a glare from Robin.

Raven just rolled her eyes and tapped her foot impatiently. "Anyway…" She added in her monotone voice. "Yesterday, two of my teammates and I went to investigate the house. We did not find any squatters but we did find two surprises, a hidden bunker in your basement and the murdered body of a young woman in her late 20's. Now you understand why that is suspicious."

"What? You don't think I had something do with this?" Mr. Thompson chuckled. "I haven't been in that basement in years! The place is practically falling apart! How do you know it wasn't one of those squatters? They are a shady sort; I would not be surprised if they did the girl in."

Robin put his hands up in mock surrender. "We are not accusing you of anything, Mr. Thompson. We are just covering all the bases, making sure we know every fact. Maybe you know this girl, maybe you know the killer. I just want to check something. It will not take long."

Cyborg turned on the TV and pushed a button.

A quick slideshow of pictures from the crime scene begin to show up. One by one, there was a new image. There was the house with the yellow police tape around it, the beer cans scattered on the main floor and various pictures of the weird looking bunker hidden away in the basement. Finally, there was the picture of the young woman. Her petite face stared up into the camera, her pale eyes still wide open.

"It can't be…" The older man mumbled to himself. "That can't be her."

Raven studied him suspiciously. "So you do recognize the woman? Who is she Mr. Thompson?"

For a man who looked so intimidating, Mr. Thompson now looked visibly taken aback by the picture. He could not even look at the slideshow anymore, he was so upset. Sitting down on one of the red couches in the Common Room, he was hunched over and looked both sad and angry. He started mumbling under his breath; finally he looked at Raven, his eyes shining dark black.

"That woman is…or was my son's girlfriend, Adam's girlfriend." Mr. Thompson explained. "She was such a sweet girl. Adam and Deanna were very close growing up but for some reason, Adam just couldn't handle the commitment or the responsibility of a relationship. He had this weird superiority complex, always thinking he was better than anyone. So if I had to choose, I would bet every dollar I have that Adam killed her."

"That's a pretty bold statement. Was he violent towards the girl?" Raven said quietly. "You seem to be so sure your son did it."

For a brief moment, Raven thought about the picture of the boy and his family. She thought about the baseball bat with the name Adam but mostly, Raven thought of the cold aura that still lingered in the house, all the anger and resentment that festered there, years after an argument.

"It was all his fault you know!" Mr. Thompson continued. "He was so ungrateful! Adam thought he was smarter than me, that he was too good for football or someday taking over Bob's Used Cars. All that kid wanted to do was tinker in his workshop, building weird looking robots out of spare parts. I thought Deanna might help him change, but he still remained the same, self-absorbed person who called himself Adonis. It made me sick, the way he treated his girl and how he only thought of himself. How could this wimpy little nerd really be my son?"

Breathing heavily and exhausted from his long rant, Mr. Thompson was unaware of Starfire's sudden gasp at the name Adonis. Nor did he notice Robin's deep frown or that Cyborg glanced warily at Raven who stood stock still, her expression now unreadable and her body language tense.

"You don't think it is the Adonis we know?" Starfire asked suddenly "The one who joined the Brother Hood of Evil? The one who had attacked our friends after being affected by that mutagen chemical? If it is that Adonis, we should find him and stop him! He is a murderer now!"

"Way to state the obvious Star." Raven said irritably.

"Well then we should do the obvious and arrest him." Starfire exclaimed. "He hurt you Raven! Remember that? How can we just sit here when he could be out killing more innocent people?"

Robin started pacing around the room, Mr. Thompson and Cyborg looked at each other skeptically and Starfire was angry, muttering to herself. Finally Robin stopped and looked at Mr. Thompson seriously. "We don't know if it was your son, but the Adonis we know does have a history of criminal behavior. I also have one more question; did you allow Adam to live at that house?"

Mr. Thompson frowned. "When I moved out in 1998, his mother had recently died of cancer and I did not want to set foot in that horrible place. It had too many memories. I loved my wife but seeing that house reminded me of her and those days of her slowly dying. For some reason, Adam was stubbornly determined to stay there, despite it all. He would do everything to stop me from selling it. He scared off all the potential buyers until finally I let him live there. He was 18 by then and to be honest, I was sick and tired of looking out for him. I haven't talked with him in years, if that's what you're wondering."

There was an awkward silence as the Titans took all this in.

"I guess Beast Boy was right." Raven admitted. "There really was a monster living in the house. It just wasn't a ghost. Monsters can come in many shapes and forms, murderers in particular. If it was Adonis, then he had been released early from prison and returned to his family home."

Cyborg's eye widened and he laughed out right. "Wow, did you seriously say Beast Boy was right? Did those words really come out of your mouth! I think this has got to be a first. Yo Beast Boy! You probably wish you could have recorded that, huh? Beast Boy?"

The team looked around in confusion. Beast Boy was gone and nowhere to be seen.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well in case you were wondering, here's Beast Boy's point of view. It takes place the same night Raven had her bad dream. Hmm...coincidence? Maybe...maybe not. I'll let you decide. Anyway, thanks again for any reviews/kudos/bookmarks and/or just simply clicking the button to check my story out. It means a lot.

Beast Boy could not sleep.

Even though he was bone dead tired, even though he very comfortable in his nice warm bed, he could not fall asleep. He kept on thinking about the girl that had been murdered, all the blood that had covered the floor and the scent that had been bothering him since they had returned from Sparrow Lane five hours ago. Beast Boy never forgot a scent and this one was particularly foul, smelling like sweat and rancid meat. It was bad news and part of him felt guilty for ignoring it.

Sighing, he sat up on his bed and stretched lazily. Peeking at the alarm clock that had fallen on the floor, the red light was now blinking 4:00 AM. Growling irritably, Beast Boy flopped back down on his bed with a dull thud. "Why does this always happen to me?" He mumbled into his pillow. "I don't want to go. Why can't somebody else have the super powered animal nose?"

Rolling over and accidentally falling back on the ground, he dragged his sheets with him and gave a shrill yelp of surprise. Now his butt hurt and he was very much awake. Groaning again, he reluctantly got up and started digging through his drawers. Haphazardly tossing clothes over his head, Beast Boy found a uniform that only slightly smelled. Beast Boy shrugged and put it on.

He would not be gone for very long, an hour or two tops, if only to clear his conscious. After all, he had not smelt this scent in over year. Why would it randomly be lingering in that old house?

Quickly checking to make sure nobody was awake; Beast Boy quietly opened the door. Turning into a hawk, he fluffed up his wings and took off towards the starry sky. The wind felt good on his wings and the full moon's light made his green feathers look as if they were made of silver.

Flying to the house on Sparrow Lane took longer than driving, but in about an hour or so he soon found himself flying over the familiar roof. Circling down and landing on the grass, Beast Boy stood up and stared up at the disheveled building nervously. It still had yellow tape wrapped around the doorway and now that he was all alone, the old house looked even creepier at night.

The warm summer breeze that had felt so good only moments before was now creating some weird looking shadows from the trees and a moaning noise in the two broken upstairs windows.

"I am not afraid!" Beast Boy told himself. "I am not a coward. I…I should probably go home."

He backed away from the house, his body itching to morph back into a bird and to get as far away as he could but for some reason, he could not. At that moment, a face came to his mind, one of dark purple hair and violet eyes. He thought of Raven. She would be very angry and disappointed if he left now. She would probably call him a coward. He certainly acted like one.

Sighing, Beast Boy shook his head and worked up his courage. "I am doing this for Raven."

Opening the door and turning into a green bloodhound, he started sniffing in the living room, checking around the old Budweiser cans and the footprints that were left over from who knows when. They still had that foul scent but it was stale. It was days' old, the owner might be gone.

Thoroughly checking the main level, Beast Boy only found traces of the scent. Now, he decided, he would check the basement. He could still smell blood and it made the fur on his neck stand up. Shivering to himself, he turned back into a human and carefully opened the door and quietly walked downstairs. The stairs still squeaked but his eyes had long since adjusted to the darkness.

When he stepped down on the final step, Beast Boy saw him.

Adonis was wearing a new metal suit, this one even bigger and stronger than his old red one. The older man was grinning excitedly, bouncing on his toes in anticipation as Beast Boy watched him with a stunned expression on his face. "It's about time you got here! I needed a good workout."

Adonis flexed his muscles. Grinning at the blue and silver metal, he admired the way it moved just like flesh and the way it looked all strong and powerful. He was too busy admiring himself, he barely noticed as Beast Boy was glancing around, looking for a way out. The changeling wasn't stupid. He knew this was too small a place to fight fairly, Adonis was three times his size.

"You know, I've been meaning to have a rematch." Adonis said casually "I knew you were coming. See, I have this whole place wired up with tons of tiny cameras. I saw you come earlier with your teammates, Cyborg and that pretty, feisty one. I saw you faint when you saw Deanna's blood on her robes. It was quite funny. You are even weaker than I was, before I got stronger!"

Beast Boy growled angrily, narrowing his eyes. "Not so weak that I can't take you on!"

Adonis laughed loudly. "Yeah, I kind of doubt that but like I said, I wanted a rematch. Ever since that Cyborg got rid of the mutagen, he thought I would be weak. Everyone thought I was weak and pitiable! My girlfriend, my father, even the guards that stood outside my prison cell thought I was some misguided little boy. Poor little Adam Thompson who is only looking for attention!"

Spitting on the ground with disgust, Adonis lunged at Beast Boy, slamming him against the wall so hard that the plaster fell from the ceiling in a dusty mess. Beast Boy staggered to his feet, looking at Adonis cross-eyed before turning into a dark green rhinoceros and rammed into him.

Adonis grabbed his horn and pushed back, grinning triumphantly and Beast Boy was shoved backwards, his feet dragging across the ground. Thinking quickly, the changeling morphed into a large Siberian Tiger, flexing away from Adonis' grasp and swiping sharp claws against the armor. It did not even scratch. This metal was tougher. Beast Boy continued, jumping and slashing, Adonis kept on laughing and punching. Animal after animal, nothing could stop him.

Even his T-Rex form was having serious trouble. Finally, Beast Boy fell to the ground exhausted, his body was bruised and a large gash on his head was now bleeding. Breathing heavily, he tried to get up, tried to morph into something else…but he could not. He could only hope that Adonis was tired too. That maybe…just maybe he could get to rest for a few minutes.

"You know…I just don't get it." Adonis said, studying Beast Boy's broken body. "Everyone likes you. The city, your teammates, Raven…but you are so weak! You're not a man; you're not even an animal. You're just a freak who got lucky with powers. I had to work for my strength."

He admired his metal body again. "I'm more of a man then my father ever was. Nobody can stop me; the police did not even notice I was here! They passed by my laboratory and labeled it as an old rundown fallout shelter. They didn't even think it was worthy of a second look! All they cared about was Deanna. So you see, anybody can be super! Anybody with smarts can do what I do. I am the living proof that brains can defeat brawns. Now everybody can know the truth."

Beast Boy watched him with tired eyes. "Dude, can you just shut up!? You talk way too much!"

Adonis frowned. "Whatever, kid. You'll be dead soon and I will be the strongest, the winner of this fight. I'm even recording this for the world to see. I'm the most powerful man in the world!"

Lifting his fists over Beast Boy's head, Adonis was about to lay the final blow but before he could do anything, something stopped him. Black magic had encased his arms. Raven had arrived. Her demon eyes glowed and her powers sparked around her fingertips. Starfire, Robin and Cyborg were following behind but Raven led the way. Never before did she look angrier.

"How dare you hurt Beast Boy?!" Raven roared angrily. "You sniveling little worm, you disgusting piece of filth, you are going to pay for what you've done!"

Using her powers, she began stripping him of his metal suit. Adonis tried to get away; he now looked terrified by this furious young woman in front of him. Piece by piece fell off until he was nothing more than a skinny man in his thirties. Sniveling, he tried to run away towards the stairs.

Robin stood in his way and smirked. "Going somewhere Adam?"

Cyborg was holding up the handcuffs and Starfire glared at him angrily. Adonis glanced at Raven who stood flying nearby, the black energy still crackling around her, the demon eyes watching him evilly. She was obviously just waiting for an opportunity to finish what she started.

"I give up!" Adonis squeaked. "Just please…don't let her hurt me! I admit to everything, the murder of Deanna, the attempted murder of Beast Boy! Just don't let the crazy witch kill me!"

Robin grinned. "Don't worry, you're safe with us. Raven won't hurt you if you come quietly."

Only when Adonis was led away in handcuffs, did Raven regain control of her powers and settle down. The power still flowed around her but she focused all of her energy on Beast Boy. He was so still now and hardly breathing. Raven felt a tear slip down her cheek and she collapsed on the ground, weeping softly. Starfire stayed by her side, solemnly protecting her two closest friends.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, here's today's chapter! I hope you enjoy it and have a great Friday. Thanks again for any reviews/kudos/bookmarks and/or just simply clicking the button to check my story out. It means a lot.

When Beast Boy had finally awoken from his trauma induced nap, he was very confused indeed.

This place, this room was not his room. He wasn't in the Tower and he wasn't in the last place he remembered, the abandoned house on Sparrow Lane. Instead he was in this weird place that smelled like disinfectant and had an annoying beeping noise that went off every few seconds.

Growling irritably, he tried to wiggle out of his tightly wound covers. His attempt proved to be unsuccessful. So upon further investigation, Beast Boy realized for a heart stopping moment that there was actually a weight on his chest…Raven. For some reason Raven had fallen asleep on the chair next to his bed and was using him as a pillow. Even her hand was curled around his shirt as if she was holding onto him for dear life. It was very weird and Beast Boy was terrified.

That was when the beeping noise started to get louder.

Panicking and realizing that the machine was now giving him away, Beast Boy started pulling at the wire that was attached firmly to his arm but the beeping would not stop. It just kept on going as if mocking him and now there were footsteps running towards his room. Realizing that he was caught, he stood very still and watched as Ravens slowly uncurled herself from him and blinked.

"Nurse, come here quickly!" A man in a white uniform shouted. "Mr. Logan has woken up!"

The doctor or what he had presumed was the doctor was pointing a flashlight in his eyes. Forcing his eyelids open, he started examining them; Beast Boy blinked uncomfortably and tried to squirm away from the Doctor's firm grasp. Minutes later, a woman in white strolled in and started writing down things on a chart while in turn, the man started listing off all his vital signs.

"Eyes are dilating normally, there does not seem to be any serious brain trauma and while his heartbeat has suddenly increased in the last few minutes, it does not seem to be a problem. Though I do suggest that we start him off on a low dosage and then see where we go from there."

Beast Boy scrunched up his face in confusion. "Dude, what are you talking about? Where am I?"

"You should really consider pursuing the medical profession Ms. Raven." The doctor commented casually while he finished up with Beast Boy. "I have not seen bruises heal this fast in all my years of performing medicine. In fact, it would really be a blessing. Think of all the lives we could save together with your powers alone. You could even change history, my dear."

Raven's expression was neutral as she slowly stood up. She shook hands with the man and glanced at Beast Boy, surveying him critically. "I already do save lives Dr. Franklin. I am a superhero and I must have saved this idiot a hundred times already. He is better now, correct?"

Dr. Franklin nodded. "Yes, but I still suggest you observe Mr. Logan for signs of a concussion."

The young woman nodded her head, a small smile on her lips. "Good, I am glad to hear that. You are also aware of our confidentiality agreement? I believe Richard Grayson has already informed you of our situation and why we need to keep this quiet. It's all standard procedure."

"Of course, but I just don't see why it's even necessary." Dr. Franklin sputtered uncomfortably.

Raven gave him a steely look, her eyes cold and slightly threatening. "Of course it's necessary; we wouldn't go through with all the hassle if it wasn't. However I understand your concern and we will soon be out of your hair. I believe Mr. Logan is ready to be discharged? I would like to take him home now. I am sure he would want to be filled in on with the latest developments."

"Yes, I'll begin the discharge papers." Dr. Franklin said quickly. He and the nurse left the room.

Now that they were gone, Beast Boy took this opportunity to sit up on his hospital bed and watch while Raven resumed her seat next to him. She sighed loudly and rubbed her eyes sleepily. When she opened them again and saw that Beast Boy was now staring at her, her expression darkened. Slapping him hard on the shoulder, Raven started glaring at him with eyes that looked furious.

"You are an idiot!" She hissed angrily "A complete moron! Do you know how much trouble you caused? How you almost ruined our capture of Adonis? Why did you sneak out the other night?"

Beast Boy winced. "I…I just wanted to investigate. I thought I missed something important."

"Oh, you missed something important. Of course!" Raven said sarcastically. "Of course you wouldn't tell your friends what you discovered. Of course you would go back to the crime scene of a murder. What if Adonis killed you and we were too late? If I came any later you could have been dead from blood loss or Cerebral Edema. We could have lost you…I could have lost you."

To his surprise, Beast Boy saw a small tear streaming down her face.

Looking at her for what felt like the first time, Beast Boy smiled softly. "Do you remember when I fainted a few days ago after I saw all the blood on your robes because of that dead girl? How I thought I was dead and that you were an angel after healing me and getting me to wake up?"

Raven blushed softly, her mouth still in a frown. "Yes…what about it?"

"Well, that is part of the reason why I went back." Beast Boy explained. "I felt really ashamed for fainting like a pathetic wimp and making you guys worry so much. I wanted to prove that I could still be a strong man that can handle blood and take down the bad guys. I was so ashamed that you might know my secret. Cyborg was hinting at it the entire time we were at the house."

"What secret?" Raven asked quietly.

Beast Boy laughed. "You'd think it wouldn't be a problem but I am a vegan after all. I…I have hemophobia, the fear of blood. I cannot stand the idea of it dripping out of wounds and stuff."

Raven stared at him in shock. "Hemophobia? That's your big secret, seriously?"

The changeling nodded his head. He gave her an awkward smile and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I know it's kind of stupid phobia to have, considering I am a big time superhero but I have always had it, ever since my parents died in an accident when I was a little kid. I've gotten better but when I saw all that blood on you and when I thought you were hurt, I just…I panicked. I never want you to see me like that again but I guess you'd have to find out sooner or later."

"So you're afraid of blood." Raven mused quietly, "But what about all those monster movies?"

Beast Boy laughed out right. "Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to impress you? Pretty dumb right? I think I was a lot more scared of that movie, Wicked Scary then you were! Especially, when that monster came to life and dragged me into the shadows!"

The two looked at each other and Raven sighed. She rolled her eyes and got up, gently helping Beast Boy to his feet and untangling him from the wires still clung to his skin. "You know, being afraid is nothing to be ashamed of. If I had known the truth, I would not have snapped at you."

His eyes widened. "Really? You don't think I'm a coward for being afraid?"

Raven smiled softly at him. "I remember a wise man once said that, 'Courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.'"

Beast Boy grinned a big, toothy smile. "I guess I must be pretty brave then, huh? Maybe I…"

His words were interrupted by sudden knocking on the closed hospital door.

Now that Dr. Franklin had spread the word and signed the discharge papers, the rest of the team wanted to check up on their friend. Starfire, Cyborg and Robin were waiting by the door. The knocking got louder and the doorknob jiggled. The only problem was Raven, who was using her powers to temporarily lock the door. Glancing back and satisfied that they were not coming inside, Raven's attention turned solely back on him, her violet eyes locking onto his green ones.

Beast Boy watched her curiously and was surprised when the young woman suddenly leaned over and gave him a soft hug. She curled her arms around him tightly, holding him for several long minutes before finally whispering in his ear. "Brave yes, but you are still very much, my idiot."

He did not even have time to reply because in a blink of an eye, Raven had teleported herself out of the room. The door opened and his friends came pouring in. No one noticed the strange look on Beast Boy's face, a bemused and slightly stunned expression that made him feel really hot.

"Beast Boy? How are you feeling?" Starfire wanted to know.

"Honestly Star?" He mumbled quietly "I don't know. I'm still trying figuring that out."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, here's the ninth and final chapter. I know, it's hard to believe but this story is now over. I've been working on this baby for over a year, writing and editing it and trying to get it to make sense somewhat. Hopefully you've liked the story but even if you didn't, what do you think I should do to improve? I'm bound to make some more Teen Titans fanfics in the future, so feedback is wonderful. Any likes? Dislikes? Things you want to see more of? Anyway, as always, thanks for any reviews/kudos/bookmarks and/or just simply clicking the button to check my story out. It means a lot.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

"So you are truly sure that you are okay with this agreement?"

Starfire was flying about the Tower in a hurried mess; zooming through her dresser drawers, she threw a few reject outfits to the floor before finally holding up another dress. This one was a deep purple and had sparkly sequins sewn on. She glanced at Raven for approval. "I really would understand if you don't want us to go on another date, especially after what happened last time!"

Raven leaned again the door frame, watching her friend irritably. "Look, I really don't care if you want to go on another date with Robin. If you both want some alone time, I will just get some pizza or maybe check out that local bookshop. I think I can manage a few hours out tonight."

"Oh that's nice. I am…so very happy you found a good use for your free time."

Starfire's words were clipped and right away, Raven noticed something was up. Her friend was pursing her lips as if she wanted to say something else but instead, she merely floated around and studied her purple dress. "Is there something you aren't telling me, Starfire?" Raven demanded.

"Have you considered taking Beast Boy with you?" Starfire suggested, hopefully. "I am sure he is not doing much tonight. Maybe you two could get the pizza together and perhaps have a date of your own! Tell him your feelings Raven; it has been over a month since we fought Adonis."

Raven grimaced visibly, wringing her hands together. "I know you want us to be together but it's not that simple! Even if I do, kind of, sort of like Beast Boy, it is not like he would want to spend his rare chance at free time with only me. He probably wants to hang out with Cyborg and I am not exactly fun. We haven't even really talked since the hospital. It will end up being awkward."

"Of course you haven't been talking!" Starfire exasperated. "Lately you've been avoiding him!"

Starfire sighed and looked at her friend wearily. "We've had this argument over and over but you still are not being honest with yourself! If Beast Boy is unsure of how he feels, then convince him that he deserves you and you deserve him. You two would make a lovely couple but you have to stop trying to pretend your feelings don't matter."

"But what if he…" Raven began but Starfire was not taking no for an answer.

She began using her fingers and listing examples. "You make eyes at him all the time, you practically used up your own life force just to heal him from Adonis' wrath and you waited a whole day until he woke up in that hospital. That is not just simple friendship and you know it."

Raven did not reply, she just scowled at Starfire and folded her arms defiantly.

"Oh come on, you will thank me for this later." Starfire sighed impatiently. "After all that you have been through, all the trouble that happened last month, I think it's about time I ensured your happiness for a change. You will not regret it. I have this whole evening planned to be perfect!"

With that, she shoved Raven out the door and the next thing she knew, Raven was standing outside in the hallway feeling a strange mixture of confusion and dread. As she stood wondering what to do next, Robin was already coming around the corner, whistling to himself and dressed in a fine tuxedo. He grinned cheerfully when he saw the young woman. "Is Starfire ready yet?"

Raven glanced back at the closed door. "Um…Star should be ready soon."

Robin nodded, awkwardly shuffling in his fancy suit. "I sure hope the city can handle a few hours without our surveillance. I was meaning to put this date off for another weekend but Starfire made me promise that when there was a quiet night, we could take some time off and be something other than heroes for a change."

"You mean we are actually people? I thought we were heroes every second!" Raven said dryly.

"Yeah, I thought that too." Robin said sincerely, completely missing her sarcasm. "But when we visited Tokyo, I realized that we are also people and people are allowed to be imperfect. I had never even considered how hard it was for us to just be ourselves and find happiness. Heroes are supposed to be looked up to, but how can we be the ideal people if we can't admit to mistakes?"

"That is a logical way to look at it." Raven agreed, looking a bit impressed. "It seems that Starfire has had a big influence on you. I never realized that she could have so much wisdom."

"Yeah, I've learned not to underestimate her." Robin chuckled.

Minutes ticked by, but when Starfire finally came out of her room, Robin could not take his eyes off her. The alien woman twirled in her purple sequined dress and gave Raven a cheerful smile. The two were off to a concert that was playing downtown and later on, a dinner date. Raven had heard all about it hours ahead, so she waved the happy couple off as they walked hand in hand.

Upon shutting the door, Raven suddenly became aware that she was alone in the Tower with Beast Boy. Cyborg had already left minutes after Robin and Starfire. As the metal man left, he gave a short wave. "I'm going to head into town and do a few errands." He quickly explained. "I have been meaning to upgrade the T-Car and yesterday I saw this really great engine that could double the speed of my baby! I'll be gone for a few hours and it won't be much fun for you two."

"What do you mean you're leaving?" Raven demanded. "Aren't you bringing Beast Boy too?"

Cyborg did not answer. He was already out the door and Raven wondered anxiously when her three friends would return. It wasn't like she hadn't been alone with Beast Boy before, in the past she would just ignore him. However, Starfire's words were repeating themselves over and over in her head like a mantra. Maybe her friend was right; she had been avoiding the confrontation.

"I can do this." Raven told herself sternly. "I have battled countless demons, mutants, monsters and an insane man in a robot costume; I can handle being alone with a short, green changeling."

Sighing and trying to relax her mind, Raven wandered towards the Common Room. She could hear the sounds of a video game being played, the obnoxious music, the colorful lights coming from the boys' favorite racing game. Raven studied Beast Boy as he played with the Gamestation, his eyes completely glued to the screen as his hands twitched over the controller.

He was so focused when he was in the middle of a game. His muscles were taut, while the little green car sped around the track, just ahead of the four other online players. One more lap around the track and then there was a sound of recorded cheers and the showering of digital confetti. Putting down the controller, Beast Boy got up and stretched, grinning cheerfully at Raven, who now felt a very strange mixture of attraction and fear. She battled to keep her emotions in check.

"Hey Raven! What's up?" The changeling said casually.

"Not much." Raven said tersely, "Just wondering what to do now that most of our team is out for the next couple of hours. I was thinking about grabbing some pizza, would you care to join me?"

"Sure, that sounds great!" Beast Boy exclaimed happily, not bothering to hide his surprise. "So, does that mean you are asking me on a date? Or is it…you know, a friends kind of thing? Not that I am complaining but you've been giving me mixed signals lately. I just want to be sure."

Raven blushed pink and awkwardly looked at her boots. "It could be a…date if you want it too."

"Awesome! Of course I want it to be a date!" Beast Boy assured her, laughing a little. "I've been meaning to ask you out for weeks but you've never stayed still long enough for me to get out a sentence. I thought you were angry with me but Starfire assured me you were only feeling shy."

Grimacing at this admission, Raven felt suddenly furious at her friend. Of course Starfire would open her big mouth! After all that goading and prodding, she had been planning this all along and now the sudden date night was making sense. When this night was over, Raven vowed she would give Starfire a good talking to. She even felt the familiar stir of magic on her fingertips.

Suddenly a gloved hand grabbed hers and Raven stopped, staring at a big pair of emerald eyes.

"Aw, don't be mad Raven." Beast Boy said. "Starfire only wanted us to be happy. Besides, her planned date night means the whole team gets some time off! Plus, we aren't forced to look through old smelly houses! We can just be ourselves for the night. Come on, you know you want to. We'll go wherever you want…just as long as I get a kiss at the end."

Wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, Raven took the opportunity to slap him roughly on the shoulder. Beast Boy looked a little hurt but noticed that she was actually smiling an amused smile. "I never promised any kissing." Raven said, smirking. "But if you behave yourself, I might just change my


End file.
